


Amongst Shadows

by MiyaBlack



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: End of the World, Family Feels, M/M, Wingfic, but mainly Karasuno, but not really, fluff amongst angst, other teams ahead, sort of, they make a nest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-01
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-02-15 15:18:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2233812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiyaBlack/pseuds/MiyaBlack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata Shouyo's world is being torn apart. Inhuman shadows that prowl in the night have destroyed civilization and are changing everything. But Hinata is not alone and he will stand with his team to protect what's left of their precious world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alone

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually a fic of a fic...?  
> It was inspired by pvwork's Meet Me At the Net's 7th chapter (which is wonderful and you can read here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1690007/chapters/3750715). 
> 
> I actually thought this was going to be just a one shot, but ideas kept coming and coming... so yeah, multichapter u w u UU
> 
> And without further ado... Enjoy!

Hinata Shouyo felt unconsciousness slip away from him. He was laying in his bed, a cool breeze coming in from his open window. He was comfortable, not cold or hot, didn’t have to go to the bathroom, but his body was waking him up for some reason or another. And that was when he heard it. It wasn’t the odd heavy truck going through the small roads or a party that had lasted too long, it was screaming. He opened one eye and tried to focus on the sounds around him, wondering what was going on. Steps running down his own hallway made him sit up just as his father bursted into his room and made a beeline for the window, closing it with a slam and locking it.

 

“Shouyo, grab some shoes and come with me. Hurry!” Mr. Hinata snapped as he dragged his elder son by the hand.

 

Hinata didn’t have to be told twice. He bolted up from bed, picked up his volleyball tennis and some socks before his father practically dragged him out. There was something very wrong and it was scaring his father and it was scaring him.

 

His mother was holding on to Natsu and looking nervously at the door. “Dear, what are we…” she started, but her husband didn’t even look at her. He let go of Shouyo and opened the coat closet and started pulling out everything in it. He didn’t even question his father and started helping him empty the closet. Once it was mostly empty, Mr. Hinata dragged his family in, but Natsu started crying.

 

“What’s wrong baby? Shh, shh, we’re okay.” her mother tried consoling her.

 

Natsu looked up with teary eyes. “I’m scared and I don’t have Snuggles with me.” she explained.

 

Mr. Hinata frowned, “Natsu, I’m sorry, but we don’t-” but before he could finish, Shouyo had bolted down the corridor and up the stairs, three steps at a time.

 

The orange haired teen tried to block out the noises, because the screams had been far away at first, but now they were almost deafening. It sounded… like people were being murdered out there. He quickly entered his sister’s room, grabbed the whale plushie Natsu called Snuggles and bolted back down the stairs. He could feel his blood running cold with fear and he just wanted to get back to the safety of his parents, but as soon as he landed on the bottom floor, he froze.

 

Mr. Hinata was looking back at their main door, which had been barricaded with chairs and random furniture. There was someone scratching, pounding and howling at the door. His father turned to him and wordlessly pointed at the closet.

 

Somehow, Shouyo managed to move his feet and get in. Once his whole family was inside, Mr. Hinata locked the door from the inside and curled up in the tight space next to his son, holding him in his lap and passing his other arm around his wife. “We all need to be very, very quiet. It doesn’t matter what you hear or what you see.” he muttered and kissed everyone in his family.

 

Shouyo was not scared, he was terrified.

 

It felt as if his whole house was shaking and the howling and screeching from the outside didn’t help at all. Suddenly, a thought ran through his mind and his whole body started shaking. He leaned into his father and held on to his shirt tightly, burying his face in his shoulder.

 

His team.

 

Was his team safe?

 

He prayed to any and every god there ever was for their safety. He was on the other side of the hill… maybe they’d had more time to hide? He hoped so. He felt his father’s hand rubbing comforting circles on his back. Maybe they had. Maybe Kageyama’s face had been so scary when the… whatever was outside trying to break in…. had woken him up, that they had fled for their lives.

 

A whole new uneasy knot formed in his stomach when he thought about it. Kageyama’d better be ok.

 

He’d better.

 

_Will you follow me to the top of the world?_

 

He still planned to. But the stupid setter had better be all right. Shouyou tried relaxing into his father’s embrace and ignore the tears welling up in his eyes, when he heard the deafening crash of a window breaking.

 

And another, and another. He could hear a lot of… somethings.

 

They weren’t walking on two legs, that much he could tell. It sounded like they were /dragging/. The house was inundated by the smell of rotting flesh and it made all of them a little nauseous. But the worst thing was the sounds they made. It was a low, inhuman, guttural growl.

 

Natsu let a little whimper escape her lips, but their mother immediately covered her mouth. Shouyo slowly turned around and hugged his little sister, trying to make her feel safer.

 

The night felt eternal for him, hiding in the dark, tight, closet. Sometimes, they heard one of the things walk too close and they would all freeze in panic. But after a few seconds, the creature would walk away and they could, ever so slightly, relax.

 

Shouyo realized that it wasn't only one or two or three creatures, there were _a lot_ of them. And they even seemed to be… patrolling. The screams continued, though they did fade away and for a moment, Shouyo could've sworn he heard guns, but they seemed to come from far away.

  
  


He drifted in and out of consciousness, sometimes closing his eyes for a couple of minutes just to be suddenly yanked back into reality by a scream or scratching or any from a list of sounds that Shouyo had hoped his life would be without.

 

Who knows how long they stayed like that, but eventually the noises died down and he fell into an uncomfortable, restless and tense sleep.

 

Shouyo woke up when he felt his father shift beneath him. “Dad?” he muttered with his lowest voice, looking up at his father as he stood up.

 

Mr.Hinata placed his finger to his lips, asking his son for silence as he placed his ear to the door.

 

Shouyo could see sunlight filtering from beneath the door and wondered for how long he’d been asleep. He turned to his mother, who looked like she didn’t sleep a blink for the whole night, dark circles under her eyes and a tired smile on her face. Shouyo leaned towards her, avoiding his sleeping little sister that rested in her legs, and rested his face on her shoulder. Shouyo didn’t know why, but he felt like crying, so he did. He sobbed silently into his mother’s shoulder and felt her shaking softly too. She tangled her fingers in his orange mess of a hair and kissed his temple.

 

“We’re safe, baby. We’re safe.” she whispered to him and he nodded, his quiet sobs finally dying out.

 

“I think I hear voices outside…” his father commented softly. “Maybe I should check it out.”

 

“We haven’t heard any… any of them for a while, dear, but…” Mrs. Hinata whispered to her husband, as she held both of her children.

 

Mr. Hinata thought for a moment, nodding. “I noticed too… But I definitely hear human voices outside. We can’t stay cooped up forever. I’ll just peek around and if I see any danger, I’ll run back, I promise.” he assured her as he leaned down to kiss her and his children.

 

“I love you.” he said with a quick smile that mirrored Shouyo’s infamous grin.

 

“I’ll go with you.” Shouyo said quickly as he stood up.

 

“No way, little man. You have door duty.” his father said as he ruffled his hair. “You stay by the door, let no one in but me and if you see something dangerous close and lock, got it?”

 

With a pout, the teen nodded. “Be careful, dad.”

 

“I will.”

* * *

 

It had been a whole ten minutes since his father left and Shouyo was bouncing nervously on his feet, peeking outside every so often. Their house was a mess and there were scratches up and down on the corridor wall and even some on the ceiling, but it was empty and eerily quiet.

 

“And daddy?” Natsu’s sleepy voice asked, as she stiffly stood up from her mother’s lap.

 

“He went outside.” her mother explained as she stretched out too.

 

“B-But the things…!” Natsu said terrified.

 

“They’re not here anymore… Or it doesn’t look like it.” Shouyo explained, peeking around once more.

 

Natsu looked unhappy as she held Snuggles a bit tighter. She was about to say something more when Shouyo raised his hand to shush her. “I hear steps…” he muttered.

 

He closed the door almost completely, his hand steadfast by the lock, ready to close and lock as soon as possible when he saw his father open the door.

 

“Dad!” he yelled as he threw the door wide open and ran to his father.

 

“Hey, little man. Kept our girls safe?” Mr. Hinata asked with a tired smile.

 

Shouyo nodded energetically as Natsu flew out of the closet as well, hugging her father’s legs. “Daddy! Daddy!” tears were falling from her eyes, but she looked happy.

 

“How was it?” Mrs. Hinata asked as she left the closet as well, looking at her husband worried, silently looking for any injuries or signs of something wrong.

 

Mr. Hinata’s eyes were normally bright and happy, like Shouyo’s, so it was easy for his wife to note how dull and bleak they looked.

 

“It… it wasn’t good… But it seems we’re safe for now.”

 

* * *

 

 

The fridge had been completely emptied, whatever remains scattered across the floor and most of the dishes and glasses laid in pieces. Mirrors and picture frames had been ripped out of the wall, beds destroyed and not a single window was complete. The bastards had even ripped Shouyo’s volleyballs to pieces.

 

Shouyo had planned to take a bath, but apparently there was no running water or electricity, so he just changed into some pants and a t-shirt. By his father’s instructions, the teen packed up a small backpack with a change of clothes, clean underwear, pajamas and his Karasuno jacket.

 

He had tried phoning any of his team members, but it seemed that the phone lines had also been cut.

 

Mrs. Hinata had managed to somewhat clean the breakfast table and set up a somewhat decent breakfast of bread, cereal and some fruit, so the family sat down and ate in a tired silence.

 

“We should take some food and medicine.” Mr. Hinata finally spoke up after nibbling on his apple for a while.

 

“And it would be great if we could take some futons or covers…” Mrs. Hinata added as she took another spoonful of cereal.

 

“Where are we going?” Natsu asked, as she happily ate her sugary cereal.

 

“Dad heard that there were refuges by the train station and that if we were lucky we could catch a train to Tokyo. They say the city is a lot safer and they still have electricity there.” Shouyo explained, looking at his peanut butter sandwich and not feeling particularly hungry.

 

“Shou, darling, you should eat something.” his mother said worriedly.

 

“I’m… not that hungry.” he explained as he forced himself to nibble on the bread’s edge.

 

“Shouyo, eat.” his father almost snapped and the teenager hunched his shoulders with defeat. Worry was eating away at him, his stomach twisted in uncomfortable knots and Kageyama’s voice echoing in his head.

 

_To the top of the world?_

 

“I am sure they’re okay, love.” his mother said with a kind smile and Shouyo leaned his face on the table looking sideways at his mother. Of course she knew, she always knew what was wrong with him. “I bet you'll see them in the shelter.” she added.

 

Shouyo perked up at the idea and smiled, eating a bit faster.

 

After picking up just the most essential things, the family left their home and followed the eerily silent procession of people that were most likely headed for the shelters and for the promised train to Tokyo.

 

It was their first time outside and Shouyo had to focus his gaze in his father’s back that was in front of him to not look at everything. He was no longer small enough for either of his parents to carry, unlike Natsu.

 

All he could do nothing but cower in his mother’s embrace.

 

There were blood stains everywhere and something that looked like twisted bodies and leftovers… And there was what looked like a hand and…

 

“Shou, don’t look, love.” his mother said with a strangled voice as she turned his head towards her.

 

“Mom…”

 

“Don’t. It’s nothing, just don’t.”

 

He buried his face on her shoulder and hugged her, trusting her to guide them both.

 

* * *

 

 

As they approached the station, the crowd became thicker and thicker. They were now walking in a line, Mr. Hinata walked ahead, making way for his family, Shouyo walked behind him, tightly holding onto his hand and to Natsu, who was sandwiched between him and their mother.

 

Shouyo thought he heard his father say something, but he couldn’t really hear it. However, he did hear the small squeal of surprise and delight behind him. “It’s Naomi! She’s ok!” Natsu yelled delighted and before he could react, he felt the small hand of his sister leave his.

 

“Natsu! Don’t let go!” he called, but he did saw his mother being dragged along, so at least Natsu was not alone.

 

“Dad! Natsu and mom broke off!” he called out and Mr. Hinata turned around to look at his wife. And both he and Shouyo froze in terror when they realized that Mrs. Hinata looked panicked as she tried to push her way through the crowds.

 

Shouyo could see her screaming, but it wouldn’t be enough, he could hardly hear himself think in all of the noise. They made their way to her and called out for Natsu, but got no reply.

 

He could hear his mother starting to panic, when he saw it. A glimpse of orange hair and a small pink bow. “I see her!” he yelled as he pulled away from his parents. He jumped, pushed, ran and almost killed himself several times until he finally saw the orange hair again and quickly scooped his little sister up.

 

“Shou!” she yelled between tears as she hugged him.

 

“Natsu, don’t ever, ever do that again!” he said, making sure she was ok.

 

He turned with a smile, to wave at his parents when his stomach sank. There were soldiers separating the crowds.

 

One was headed to the station, to Tokyo.

 

The others were heading to the shelters.

 

Without hesitation, he ducked and ran towards his parents, who were being pushed towards the station despite their complaints. He was going to make it, they would not be separated. He finally reached the edge of the crowd, and with a quick side step, evaded the soldier who tried to stop him and ran. He ran with all that he had, his arms tightly around his little sister.

 

“Shouyo!”

 

“Shou!”

 

He was going to make it. He was.

 

And then, he felt the sharp tug on his collar and how he was being dragged back. Natsu yelled out for their parents. With a look of determination, he stretched out his arms, pushing his little sister into his father’s arms.

 

It was just enough for his father to reach her, but not him.

 

He wouldn’t make it, but she would.

 

“He’s my son!” he heard his mother cry out. “My son!”

 

But he was already being dragged back, pushed into the line of those who were fated for the shelters.

 

“I’ll see you in Tokyo!” he yelled with all his might, though he wasn’t sure if they heard him, since he was swallowed up by the crowd and dragged away.

 

* * *

 

 

For the first couple of days, Shouyo had looked everywhere for a familiar face. Anyone. Hell, he would’ve hugged Oikawa at that point. But there was no one.

 

And to make things worse, there had been no more trains to Tokyo, since the creatures had destroyed most of the lines.

 

They were being called _shadows_.

 

They came in the night and couldn’t stand the light of day. They came in hordes, devouring, destroying and consuming everything in their path. Some thought they were aliens, other thought they were demons.

 

Shouyo couldn’t care less either way, he just wanted them gone.

 

But the shadows weren’t the only new thing around. A couple of days after the first night (some called it the Darkest Night, but it seemed a bit dramatic to him) something started happening to some of the people in the shelters.

 

It started with a terrible rash in their backs. It was better not to scratch it, Shouyo had heard, but in the end the results were the same. By the third day the skin would start to tear and the victim would become feverish from pain. At first, the doctors had tried to heal it, tried to mend the skin, but they realized it wouldn’t help, because something was tearing the body from the inside out.

 

Shouyo had just seen them a couple of times, since people believed they attracted the shadows and quickly kicked them out of the shelters. People called them Angels, but they were nothing more than human beings with huge wings.

 

It wasn’t long before the shelter started running low on ammunition and supplies, so people volunteered to go out during the day on food hunts.

 

And since Shouyo absolutely loathed the shelter, its tight spaces and the loneliness, he was one of the first to volunteer.

 

He hadn’t lost hope of reuniting with his family in Tokyo, but he just didn’t have the slightest idea on how to, so he just lost himself in the routine.

 

Wake up, run around the city looking for supplies, survivors or familiar faces, return to the shelter (sometimes with cans or medicine, but most times empty handed) and walk around, bored out of his mind, until he became tired. Go to bed and try to cover his ears from the howling and growling from the shadow trying to break into the shelter.

 

He had tried to organize a small volleyball game with some of the kids after he found a ball in one of his runs, but the adults said it was a waste of time and energy and cancelled it immediately.

 

Hinata had explored nearly every corner of the city but he never ever approached Karasuno. He was just too scared. He was scared of what he might find (the memories of the blood splattered around the streets still fresh in his mind) so he decided to just keep away.

 

* * *

 

During one of his runs, he found a mother and a child. The kid was alright, but the mother had her leg severely injured.

 

“Take my baby to safety, I’ll be ok.” she said with a broken smile, as she pushed the boy over to Hinata. The kid couldn’t be older than 4 years and he struggled to get back to his mother.

 

“You won’t.” Shouyo said as a matter of fact as he kneeled besides the woman to check her wound. He winced, realizing he could see the bone pushing out of it.

 

“He just has to be safe.” she insisted, pulling on Shouyo’s sleeve.

 

“You think he’ll feel safe without you?” he asked seriously as he knelt down before her, offering her his back.

 

The woman hesitated. “I’m too heavy for you…” she muttered.

 

“I’m surprisingly strong, so don’t worry!” he replied with a big smile.

 

The woman dragged herself into Shouyo’s back, and with a slight grunt, he stood up. She was heavy, but not as much as Tanaka, and he had been able to carry his senior before…sort of… and they weren’t that far from the shelter.

 

“What’s your name, little guy?” He asked with one of his sunny smiles, looking at the kid.

 

“H-Haru..” the boy answered, looking nervously between his mother and Hinata.

 

“All right Haru, I’m Shouyo. Your mom's a little sick so we’re gonna help her a little bit, ‘kay? You’ll have to walk on your own for a bit, but your a big boy, right?” Shouyo asked cheerfully, making sure Haru’s mom was comfortable in his back and her leg wouldn’t touch the floor.

 

The small kid nodded with a frown. “I am a big boy! I can walk by myself!” he declared.

 

“All right, then! Let’s go!”

 

Shouyo knew it was late. That it would be hard to get them both to the shelter, but if he walked fast enough, he would eventually meet with a soldier and they could take them from there.

 

She wasn’t that heavy, but the climb to the shelter was uphill, and his back and legs were starting to complain. His runs had slightly kept him in shape, but god knows how long it had been since his last training, so he was a bit out of shape… But he could do it.

 

_To the top of the world._

 

He was somehow managing when he heard a noise that froze him. A huge crack echoed through the empty streets. He looked to the south and his heart drop.

 

Shouyo could see a huge storm coming their way. He wasn’t scared of storms, but they covered the sun… And the shadows came out.

 

“S-Shouyo…” he heard the woman mutter, and he knew she was thinking the same thing.

 

“We’ll make it.” he insisted with a heavy grunt as he rearranged her and continued on his way, Haru walking slightly in front of them, looking warily at the clouds.

 

It actually took less than half an hour for the clouds to begin looming above them. He could see the shadows, creeping around in alleyways, looking at them hungrily.

 

“They’re… not…” the woman started, but a huge thunder muffled out her voice.

 

Shouyo shook his head. “They are scared of the lightning as well… but it won’t hold them in place for long… Haru, don’t walk too far away, you have to stay real close to us, okay?”

 

The small child was now holding on to Shouyo’s Karasuno jacket and nodded solemnly.

 

Shouyo didn’t know what to do, honestly. Even if he dropped the woman and took Haru and run, he doubted he would make it.

 

“I can… be a decoy.” she suggested, noting their situation.

 

“No…” Shouyo said as he gently placed her down. From his belt he took out a crowbar and stood defiantly. “Haru, go to your mom and take care of her, ‘kay?” he asked with a cool smile as if nothing was wrong.

 

The small child nodded and stood besides her, looking determined.

 

This was all wrong. Shouyo didn’t want to die like this, sure, but he had to protect Haru and his mother. He could see some shadows venturing into the street where Shouyo had decided to make their stand only to huddle back into the shadows once lightning struck.

 

He was cornered, and there wasn’t much he could do.

 

He pulled up the white hoodie, which he wore under his Karasuno jacket, to keep the now falling rain from blinding him, and stood in place, waiting.

 

One especially adventurous shadow quickly scurried out of the alleyway and went directly for him, but Shouyo threw him back with one swift swing of his crowbar.

 

He could wait until they were distracted and drag the injured mother into one of the homes around them… Maybe hide in it.

 

This time, two tried to gang up on him, but he was too fast for them, and they were thrown back, whimpering.

 

Maybe if he just held on long enough, a soldier would stumble upon them in one of their pre-closing of the shelter rounds.

 

One form the north and one from the south. A strong kick and a fast jump did the trick, but they weren’t really looking to harm him, not yet. They were looking for weak points.

 

Now three from the north, one from the south. He punched, kicked, got bit, but managed somehow. The woman was now curled up around her son, and Shouyo could hear her cries. He had gotten them in this situation and he would get them out of it.

 

Shouyo was no longer counting, but he tried to keep his sweeps wide, to hit as many as he could. It left him open, bites and scratches noted his mistake, but he had no option. He wasn’t defending himself, he was defending others.

 

A very timely thunder roared and the light chased the shadows away, for a moment anyway. He was panting and felt the grip on his crowbar grow slippery due to the rain.

 

“Shouyo, there’s nothing y-you can do…” the woman sobbed. “Run, get away, you can make it.”

 

With one of his sunny trademark smiles, Hinata turned to look at her. “I’m still alive, right? I still haven’t lost.”

 

The woman’s face softened for a moment, until  it turned to one of pure terror. It was actually that, rather than her warning scream that made Shouyo turn around.

 

But it was too late.

 

The shadow was in front of him, its gaping mouth wide open.

 

Shouyo knew this was going to hurt, so he closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain, but nothing happened. Carefully, he opened his eyes and saw a large fabric whip past him. Except, it wasn’t any kind of fabric. It was feathers. He saw the flock of hooded Angels in front of him and he felt an immense wave of relief. At least, he was not alone.

 

“Get them to the shelter!” one of them ordered and Hinata quickly felt himself being carried into the air.

 

The voice echoed in his ears. He could be just imagining things, but it sounded so… achingly familiar.

 

He didn’t even register the fact that he was flying and that in no time at all, he was being set down by his savior, right in front of the shelter.

 

He saw the soldiers eye the Angels suspiciously, but they still rushed towards Haru and his injured mother, quickly taking them both inside.

 

He was being guided himself by the soldier inside, though he felt as though his feet had turned into lead, and his heart was beating in his throat.

 

“His jacket…”

 

He quickly turned around and, resisting the soldier, he examined the flock. They were all wearing black jackets that matched with their black wings and they were amazingly tall. Most of them were wearing hoodies to keep the rain from their faces, as he had, but there was something…

 

One of the angels started walking towards them, and though his face was hidden, Shouyo felt like he had seen that person before.

 

“Back off, crow!” One of the soldiers yelled, pointing his gun at the approaching figure.

 

Shouyo looked up confused, “Crow?”

 

“They're a local band of angels. These guys all have dark wings and their jackets have something about crows on them, so…” the other soldier started explaining as he walked into the shelter with a dazzled Shouyo besides him, but the teen stopped short.

 

“Kid?” the soldier asked, but he was completely ignored as Shouyo flew past him and back outside.

 

He finally understood why that voice stuck with him, why they all seemed so familiar, why his heart had broken when he had been led away from them. From his team.

 

“Captain!!” he yelled with all of his might as he ran outside, causing his hoodie to fall off.

 

He ran right out into the rain again and bumped into one of the ‘crows’.

 

The world seemed to freeze for a moment and Shouyo hesitated. They had to be.

 

They had to.

 

But nobody was reacting and…

 

“H-Hinata?”

 

Shouyo looked up to see warm brown eyes and silver hair. And the small decoy couldn’t help one of his trademark smiles despite of everything. Shadows were tearing their world apart, he was kilometers away from his family, the next day could be his last, but…. he’d found his team.

 

He’d be fine.

 

Sugawara almost broke his ribs with his hug and Tanaka was openly crying as he shuffled his orange hair.

 

“It’s good to see you, Hinata.” Sawamura said as he placed his hand on Shouyo’s shoulder, his tight grip and the glint in his captain’s smile speaking volumes of how happy he was.

  
“It’s good to be back, captain.” Shouyo replied, quickly drying away his tears with the hem of his jacket.


	2. Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, it's destiny that pulls people apart. But every once in a while, it'll give you someone back.

_Kageyama Tobio felt nausea building up in him and he quickly covered his mouth and nose to keep the stench from reaching him. He tried looking unfazed, but he probably failed, since Sugawara pulled on him lightly and made him turn away._

_“Don’t look.”_

_But it had been too late. The blood and what was left of the flesh had been splattered all over the hallway and Tobio had seen it perfectly. He tried to focus his his gaze on something else. His eyes immediately looked at the living room, where he had spent many comfortable evenings besides his dumbass best friend. He probably screamed at that point, he wasn’t sure. He dashed out in unsteady legs and leaned against the house’s wall as he threw up what little breakfast he’d had that morning. He tried closing his eyes, he tried focusing them on something else, the bush, his senior’s worried eyes, the blue sky, anything, but to no avail. He could still see it. A half-eaten human head, laying along with its rotting body in the sofa. He tried convincing himself it wasn’t the right size or the right hair color, but every time he tried to remember, he saw more and more of his friend in the rotting corpse._

_Orange hair stiff with blood._

_A single brown eye, staring lifelessly ahead._

_What was left of a hand, a wide open rib cage._

_Tobio screamed, he tried shaking the image out of his head, but it wouldn’t go away. Hinata’s corpse lay in front of him._

_“I’m scared…” it whispered, it’s dead eye painfully shifting to look at him, tears falling from it._

_“Tobio, I’m scared. Where are you? I can’t see you and I don’t want to be alone. Tobio.”_

_He wanted to run away, run as fast as his legs would carry him, but he was frozen. His legs wouldn’t move and he couldn’t take his eyes away from the corpse that was now twitching._

_“You’re not him…” he whispered, half to the corpse and half to himself. “You’re not him.”_

_His back was burning, like if someone had poured boiling water over it._

_The corpse laughed, but it was not Hinata’s laugh, it was a cold, horrible laughter. It reminded Tobio of nails scratching a board and he winced._

_“Are you going to reject me after all we’ve been through?” it asked, somehow standing up, almost dragging itself to stand in front of Tobio._

_“It’s not real…” the dark haired teen muttered to himself as he hunched over, tears and sweat falling from his face. “It’s not him. It’s not true.”_

_And then the corpse walked to his back and dug what was left of its bony fingers into it, tearing it open._

* * *

 

 

“NO!”

 

He sat up quickly, making his head spin and the covers around him fall off. He felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his lungs and he couldn’t breath.

 

“Kageyama! You need to calm down, you’re safe!”

 

Tobio felt completely disoriented, terrified and nauseous. “I’m… gonna…” he managed. Thankfully, though, Ennoshita had reacted quickly, and placed an empty bucket in front of him right before the teen threw up.

 

After emptying his stomach and a small coughing fit, Tobio finally relaxed and leaned against the cold wall that was behind him, letting it soothe the excruciating pain that ran through his whole back.

 

“Here.” Ennoshita said softly as he cleaned Tobio’s face with a small towel. “Are you thirsty? Think you can drink a bit without choking up?”

 

Tobio thought for a moment about speaking, but his throat wouldn’t cooperate, so he just nodded, thankful that even if Sugawara wasn’t there, Ennoshita was.

 

He slowly drank the water that was offered to him and nodded gratefully at his senior.

 

“They should be back soon and bring something for your fever.” Ennoshita said with a small smile as he placed a damp and cool towel over his forehead.

 

“Ahh…” Tobio muttered, feeling almost immediate relief. He closed his eyes, but his subconscious kept him from drifting off. He’d had his fair share of nightmares involving corpse Hinata and would rather stay awake for a while.

 

He heard small steps down in the court and then going up the ladder to the place where the stands had once been. If he had to be honest, he was pretty proud of the way they had fixed the Karasuno gym. They had their sleeping quarters in the higher level and had used some of the desks from school to make a small kitchen/operations table/dining room in the court. The supplies closet was now full with extra beddings, clothes and extra supplies. They had even taken some of the classrooms’ cabinets and used them to store things in the court area. As Tanaka said, they had a pretty cool nest.

 

“How is his back?” Yamaguchi, whose steps had probably been the ones Tobio heard, asked as he set down some things.

 

“It’ll start bleeding any day now. What worries me are the nightmares, though. I mean…” his voice quieted down. “We’ve all seen our fair share of horrible things since this whole mess started...”

 

“Like you have to tell me…” Yamaguchi replied in almost a whisper.

 

Tobio bit the inside of his mouth. His parents had been out in a business trip when it happened, so he still had a vague hope. A small, flicker, of a hope that they had somehow survived… Yamaguchi however…

 

“I don’t know what to do about them. They’re really not helping his condition.”

 

“Going out to look for the rest of the team was a bad idea… I told the captain so…” the freckled boy muttered bitterly.

 

Tobio couldn’t say he really knew Yamaguchi before the incident, but… He knew he had changed. He had turned bitter and sarcastic. It was almost as if he was somehow trying to emulate Tsukishima. Maybe that was a way he could feel close to his friend, even if they were so far apart.  

 

“Nobody thought we were going to find…  _that_ …” Ennoshita muttered and Tobio couldn’t help but physically flinch.

 

He still remembered, like it had happened right that morning, even if it was weeks ago. The thumping in his chest when they saw the door to Hinata’s house ripped out of its hinges, the scratches, the smell of blood, of rotting meat…

 

“Whatever. It was dumb. But, on better news, I found this. It should help to at least put him back on his feet.”

 

Ennoshita gasped surprised. “W-Where did you find these? Yamaguchi, this is wonderful! They’ll help us out a lot.”

 

“Sure, just don’t waste them all in him.”

 

Ignoring Yamaguchi’s words, Ennoshita approached Tobio and gently shook his shoulder, “Kageyama… Wake up, I need you to drink something, it’ll really help you.”

 

With a small cough, Tobio swallowed the pills that were offered to him. And it was not immediate, but slowly he began feeling a lot better. He stood up and changed his futon for a dry one (Ennoshita was actually the one who carried it up into the stands, since it was a lot easier to fly them than to carry them up the ladder)  He took one of the rainwater buckets they had collected (again with his senior’s help) to the showers on the school’s first floor and took a small shower and changed into new clothes.

 

By the time the rest of the team returned from their supply run, which was a little later than usual, Kageyama was putting away the dishes he had used for his dinner.

 

“Don’t you _dare_ walk into that gym soaking wet as you are, Daichi. It’s wooden floors and they’ll rot, at least take your shoes and jacket off and dry your hair a little. Same goes for you two!” Sugawara’s voice came from outside the iron doors.

 

It was reassuring, of course, but something was off.

 

_You two?_

 

They were a small team, Yamaguchi and himself were the only ones without wings (well, that actually was going to change soon) plus their seniors: Tanaka, Ennoshita, Sugawara and Sawamura… So who was the other one?

 

It wouldn’t have been the first time they brought someone else to the nest. They often rescued people who had stayed out too late, though they always returned to their shelters by morning, intimidated by their four, very tall, and black-winged rescuers.

 

However, this sounded different. There was familiarity in Sugawara’s voice and it made Tobio’s heart beat a little faster. Maybe they found someone from school… or from their team. It would be nice to see Nishinoya or heck, he would even be relieved to see Tsukishima (though he wouldn’t be too happy about living under the same roof, but he could manage).

 

He walked calmly to the door, opening it while Ennoshita rushed to get some towels for the rest of the team that would surely be soaking wet.

 

“Someone new?” Yamaguchi asked as he joined Tobio at the door.

 

“Apparently…” he muttered.

 

And, effectively, there were four people when he opened the door. He could easily recognize his three seniors, but the fourth one…

 

_The same height…_

 

He quickly shushed the voice in his head, but did notice that the fourth person had a Karasuno jacket.

 

Ennoshita walked up to them with a smile and dry towels, which the soaking team appreciated. Tobio had been warned by his senior that he shouldn’t leave the gym unless he was properly covered, which he wasn’t, so he waited by the door.

 

But there was something that pulled at him, at his heart. It was the way the unknown person moved, the way his shoulders jumped up when he saw Ennoshita… He had a white hoodie over his head, so Tobio couldn’t really see his face or hair, but…

 

He took off his Karasuno jacket sluggishly, mainly because it was dripping wet and probably heavy. He actually had to had Sugawara help him with his hoodie, and it almost made Tobio laugh at how useless this person was, until he notice orange strands of hair started appearing beneath the white hoodie.

 

Tobio felt his body go limp and if he wouldn’t have been leaning against the door, he probably would’ve fallen off. This /couldn’t be happening. He wasn’t having a nightmare, he was wide awake, but the orange hair didn’t seem to disappear even after he’d blinked several times. It was that or he had finally snapped and lost his mind.

 

But it just _couldn’t_ be happening.

 

He had _seen_ him. He had seen Hinata Shouyo’s corpse lying on his sofa. He _had_.

 

And still, after being nudged by their captain, the orange haired teen turned around and time seemed to stop.

 

It wasn’t one dead eye, almost falling from it’s socket, that looked back at him. It was two, perfectly alive and complete, beautiful, surprised and teary brown eyes. There was no blood staining his ridiculously orange and dripping wet hair, just rainwater. His chest was complete and he had two arms and two hands.

 

And when his lips parted to mutter his name, Tobio crumbled. It was cruel, it was just too cruel to see him like this, because he was hallucinating. He had to be. He didn’t even dare hope that it was a live, breathing, person who was standing in front of him.

 

Tobio fell to his knees and covered his face, but his sobs echoed through the gym and right back to him. It was embarrassing as all hell, but he didn’t care, because it couldn’t be real. The warmth from the other person’s body as he knelt in front of him, wasn’t real. The way the idiot that snuggled beneath his arms and close to him, wasn’t real. The wet hair that was now against his face, the soft sobs coming from the other person, his own whispered name… None of it was real.

 

As soon as Tobio reached for him he would vanish, he knew. He probably had gone mad and was now making a fool of himself but… A small, tiny part of him began hoping. He tried to push it away, to ignore it, but the other boy even /smelled like Hinata.

 

If… if he brushed his fingers against that ridiculous orange hair… The the hallucination would surely end and he could go back to being his miserable self. So he did. But he still had another boy clinging to him for dear life.

 

And then, his mouth slowly, testing, whispered out his name. “H-Hinata?”

 

“Who else is it g-going to be you i-idiot?!” the boy in his arms cried.

 

And it felt like an electric shock went through Tobio’s body, pulling him back to earth, back to that moment, back to life and back to Hinata’s embrace.

 

He dug his his fingers on Hinata’s hair, which probably hurted, but he didn’t complain. He grabbed at his t-shirt with his other hand and crushed him closer, until he couldn’t tell where he ended and Hinata started.

 

“Dumbass… Dumbass… YOU DUMBASS!” he yelled, crying into the shorter boy’s shoulder.

 

They cried for a while and at some point Tobio slapped Hinata’s head and the orange haired replied with a full-body tackle and Sugawara laughed and Sawamura wondered if he should separate them when Hinata started pulling on Kageyama’s hair for some stupid thing or another.

 

“Don’t, it’s just they’re way of expressing how much they love each other.” Sugawara pointed out with a happy smile.

 

“That’s the problem, I think they love each other a bit too much.”

 

The gym bursted out laughing to a very embarrassed oddball pair, but neither said anything to deny it. They just sat next to each other, their fingers intertwined and a glint of happiness in their eyes and in Hinata’s case, one of his trademark sunny smiles.

 

* * *

 

“And that’s all I know” Hinata finished explaining as they all stood around a map of their prefecture, where Hinata had pointed out at most of the shelters’ positions and the areas he had explored. “Most of the flocks keep to themselves, but some have become hostile towards people. Especially those nesting around the northern side of the hill. I’ve even heard of soldiers /shooting down angels, so I wouldn’t suggest flying around this part of the city.”

 

“So there are more… how did you call them, flocks?” Sawamura asked with his business face on.

 

Hinata nodded. “The rest of them nest up here, in the south. I’ve heard that there aren’t as many shadows there.”

 

“Luckily we don’t have to worry about that, though.” Sawamura said, looking sideways at his vice captain, a proud smile in his face.

 

“How come?” Hinata asked, tilting his head to the side.

 

“Haven’t you noticed there are no shadows near Karasuno, dumbass?” Tobio, who hadn’t left Hinata’s side at all and was now sitting next to the orange haired teen, asked with a rised eyebrow.

 

“Well… now that you mention it…” he mumbled as he tapped at his chin.

 

Kageyama slapped his forehead and Ennoshita laughed.

 

“It’s all because of Sugawara. He can write spells that keep them out.” Yamaguchi explained quickly, apparently not in the humor for entertaining Hinata’s stupidity more than was needed.

 

“Well, it doesn’t really keep them out… It just doesn’t let them see us or smell us… They can still hear us, but since the gym is so far away from the entrance that there’s very little chance of that.” Sugawara explained a little embarrassed.

 

“Oh, so that’s what those are.” Hinata mumbled as he focused on the white painted symbols that he had noticed on the windows. “I thought that it was just graffitti…”

 

“No, it’s… angelic writing, I suppose?” Sugawara tried explaining, but he didn’t seem to really understand himself.

 

“Angelic writing, right.” Hinata repeated, as if it made sense.

 

Mentally, Tobio counted down from three, perfectly timing the time it took for Hinata to process and react.

 

“WAIT! Angelic writing?! How?!” the orange haired suddenly bursted, surprised.

 

Sugawara laughed. “We’re not pretty sure either… Ever since I got the angel disease and my wings it’s like… I know stuff. It’s like I’m learning this new language slowly and how I can use it. It’s actually pretty simple.”

 

“The cool thing, is we can actually read it, even if we don’t know it ourselves.” Tanaka explained with a grin. “The one around the gym says something like: ‘You can’t see us. You can’t sense us. You won’t get to us, we are protected’.”

 

“Woah! That’s so cool!” Hinata exclaimed, delight shining in his eyes. “My seniors are so cool!”

 

Tanaka laughed loudly and Sugawara just chuckled.

 

Tobio smiled. Hinata coming back was a blessing, and not just to him and his mental health, but to the whole team. Karasuno had regained their sun.

 

“All right, all right everyone, settle down.” Sawamura said as he gestured with his hands to lower the volume of the conversation, since Tanaka and Hinata had gone into one of their ‘senpai!’ rants. “We have to plan for tomorrow and with Kageyama about to break second stage any day now, we’re in desperate need for medicine.”

 

Tobio immediately turned away from Hinata, not wanting to meet the orange haired teen’s eyes.

 

“Second stage?” Hinata’s voice was a bit lower and there was a definite hint of worry in it. “Kageyama… you have angel’s disease?”

 

“I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” Tobio quickly said, crossing his arms over his chest and finally meeting Hinata’s eyes. There was fear and worry reflected on them, and that was the last thing he wanted.

 

“Like hell you are. You are breaking skin any day now.” Tanaka replied with a grunt.

 

“We used most of our bandages during Tanaka’s transformation, we need to look for more. And Yamaguchi found some painkillers tonight, but we could really do with some more.” Ennoshita informed while he showed the rest of the team a small white box.

 

“There… There was a drugstore near my house, it mostly had traditional medicine, but that might help. I can go on a medicine run tomorrow.” Hinata said, pointing at the map, where his house was. “I could also check my home, there might be some-”

 

“No.” Tobio knew his voice was tense and that he practically snapped at Hinata, but he wouldn’t allow that. “We’ve already been there. There is nothing left.” he explained, trying to soften his voice.

 

“Fine then, you don’t have to be so snappy about it!” Hinata replied pouting.

 

“I can go with Hinata. You guys had a rough day today,” he added nodding towards his seniors and then turned towards Tobio. “I’ll keep us both safe.”

 

Tobio said nothing but he nodded, trusting him to keep Hinata away from trouble.

 

“Well then, Ennoshita and Hinata are going tomorrow on a medicine run. Tanaka and I will stay close and look for anything that can help us and Koushi, you’ll stay here with Kageyama and Yamaguchi.” Sawamura ended, standing up from his chair and rubbing his eyes.

 

“Bu-”

 

“Don’t want to hear about it, Kageyama. We’ve discussed this before, you’re not in condition to go outside. You’ll stay here even if you end up climbing up the walls.” Sawamura droned, without even turning to look at the dark haired teen. “You have ten minutes until I turn off the lights and I want everyone upstairs by then.”

 

All of Karasuno spreaded out, except for Tobio, who was left grumbling and with crossed arms and Hinata, who stood besides him.

 

“You should listen to the captain, you know.” Hinata said softly.

 

It still felt kind of surreal to have Hinata by his side, so it didn’t take much for Tobio’s grumpiness to fade away.

 

“I know… It just makes me uneasy, staying here while everyone is out there with shadows and crazy people and…” Tobio muttered, upset.

 

“It’s just going to be for a little while.” Hinata reassured him, slipping his hand into Tobio’s.

 

With a small sigh, the dark haired teen nodded. “Follow me, I’ll show you where you can get your futon.”

 

Of course, Hinata being the child he was, practically squealed with delight when he saw the pile of covers, pillows, blankets and futons that made up their sleeping area. Without hesitation, he dove into it and squirmed around.

 

“He’s going to step on the pillows…” Yamaguchi muttered displeased.

 

“Hinata get out of there, you’re making a mess.” Kageyama called out, but it took their captain, grabbing him by the neck of his shirt, to drag the little hyperactive orange headed teen out of there.

 

“I’m sorry, but I’ve been sleeping on the floor with my jacket as a cover for the last _month and a half_! This is heaven! Or more like a nest!”

 

“Of course, it’s the crows’ nest!” Tanaka replied immediately, puffing his chest out.

 

“What?”

 

“The people from the shelters? They apparently call you crows, ‘cause of the black wings and jackets and stuff!” Hinata explained.

 

“They call _us_ crows. You’re one of us too, Hinata.” Sugawara reminded him with a smile.

 

The orange headed teen smiled widely and nodded.

 

“That is so cool.” Ennoshita exclaimed, a smirk on his face.

 

It took a bit more of scuffling and Tobio practically wrapping Hinata up like a burrito to finally get everyone into bed.

 

“Light’s out.” Sawamura called out as he turned off the small emergency lamp they used as a night light.

 

And of course, it took less than a minute for Tobio to find himself with Hinata curled up against him.

 

“Kageyama?” he asked softly, his breath tickling Tobio’s neck slightly.

 

“Hm?” Luckily, he had chosen a place slightly further away from the others, so they could talk in peace without bothering anyone.

 

“Why didn’t you want me to go back to my house?”

 

Tobio knew that question would be coming. He tightly hugged Hinata close, in part to remind himself that he was really there and in part to hide his face in the other boy’s shoulder.

 

“About… About a week after I got here, two after that night, captain decided we should look for our team… For Nishinoya, Azumane, you… We went to everyone’s houses, but they were all empty, no trace of anyone…” and his voice suddenly died on him. He tried deep breathes to calm down, “T-There… well, now we know it wasn’t you but…”

 

He felt Hinata slowly rearrange himself to hug him as well, and he felt his fingers slowly comb his hair. “Sorry I asked.” Hinata whispered, and Tobio shook his head.

 

“I’ve been having… real bad nightmares… b-because I thought…”

 

“It’s okay now, though, right?” Hinata asked, and even in the pitch darkness, Tobio could practically feel the idiot’s smile. “I’m here now. And we don’t have to be alone.”

 

And those words felt like a ton of bricks over him, because he hadn’t thought about that. About how Hinata wasn’t with his family either. How he must’ve been alone.

 

“I also had nightmares… a lot of them… And it was hard to go on, but… I always remembered what you told me.”

 

“What… I told you?”

 

“ _To the top of the world_. Right?”

 

“We probably won’t be able to play volleyball after this, you know, right?” Tobio asked, trying not to let the sadness he felt at that slip in his voice.

 

“Of course we will. Imagine. Volleyball with _wings_. How cool would that be?” Hinata replied, as if that was the most obvious conclusion.

 

And Tobio felt like laughing and hugging (and maybe kissing) that dumbass, because of course, only someone like Hinata who would hold onto those words and reach that conclusion.

 

“Then, it still stands.” he replied with a smile. “To the top of the world.”

 

Hinata giggled. “Your smile is still creepy, though.”

 

“Why, you little-!”

 

“Hinata! Kageyama! Sleep, now!” Sawamura’s tired and angry voice echoed in the gym and that was all it took to quiet them both up. Not before Tobio sneaked in a slap to the head and Hinata pinched him in the arm.

  
And even if they both grumbled and hissed at each other, morning still found them curled up together, peacefully asleep, after their first full night sleep in a long time. 


	3. Us and Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is more to this world than just surviving the shadows. Ennoshita Chikara is the main character for this chapter as he and Hinata venture out on a run to find medicines.

The empty streets made a chill went through Chikara’s body. He felt as if he was being constantly watched, vulnerable.

 

Since he’d grown his wings it was rare for him to venture the streets by feet, but Hinata had no wings and they were exploring shelter territory, so they had decided not to risk flying. Instead, his wings were now hidden behind a long cape they’d found in the school theater. It was heavy and too hot for the day, but it was bearable. The worse thing was how constricted his wings felt.

 

They carefully avoided the abandoned cars and general mayhem. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be many human remains, maybe eaten by yesterday’s shadows or flushed away by the rain. Either way, it made Chikara feel a little bit better. His angel senses had made the already nauseating smell of death in the streets unbearable, but that morning smelled cleaner and fresher.

 

It had still been somewhat cloudy, since they left the gym early in the morning, and both crows had actually seen shadows crawling around some alleyways and scurrying up the walls. But none of them had dared walk into the main street and eventually vanished into the shadows as the sun started shining through the clouds, back to wherever they came from.

 

“Where do you think they go?” the orange haired teen asked quietly as he glared at one of the dark corners where the shadows were retreating.

 

“I have no idea.” Chikara replied, as he honestly didn’t. He had really never thought about it, he just knew they were gone by morning and that he had to find a way to survive another day before night came.

 

“I wonder if they’ll come out in snow…” Hinata muttered, looking at the sky.

 

“You’re already thinking on the long run, huh?” the second year asked as he followed the other’s eyes with a sad glance.

 

“Well, yeah. We have a pretty good place right now.” Hinata replied with a slight shrug. “We’re together, we have a roof over our heads and supplies… Sure, we have to watch our backs for the shelters and for the other flocks… But we’re ok! It’s a shelter, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be our home!... O-Or at least that’s what I think!”

 

Chikara smiled as Hinata scratched the back of his head, embarrassed after giving that little speech to his senior. His way of thinking might’ve seemed naive or childish for some, and perhaps it was… But maybe it was just what Karasuno needed.

 

Sure, it was hard for Chikara, he was dragged away from his family and thrown out on the street for a disease he couldn’t control or asked for… But at least he knew they were safe. Both Hinata and Kageyama had to live every day with the uncertainty of their family’s well being, Tanaka had lost his sister (though his father was safe in a shelter and Sawamura… Well, their captain avoided the subject like the plague, but it wasn’t because of his family (Chikara had Heard something about his parents leaving for Tokyo), but for Yamaguchi and Sugawara. 

 

Sugawara had been sleeping over at Sawamura’s place that night, since they were studying for an exam or something… By the time he returned home, next morning, it had been already too late.

 

Yamaguchi, however, had been the one who’d had it worse. Chikara was well aware of Yamaguchi’s personality change (he had been the first year who Chikara had talked to the most) and it worried him to no end. But what else was there to be expected from someone who had been locked in a closet while he heard his mother die on the other side of the door?

 

Chikara sighed deeply as he rearranged the heavy cape in his shoulders, shifting his wings slightly. It was bad enough they had to fight and worry about the shadows, but having to watch their backs from _other_ human beings was beyond his understanding.

 

“It’s this way.” Hinata said suddenly, dragging him out of his thoughts and into one of the smaller street that branched off from the main avenue.

 

There weren’t any more cars, but the houses around them were completely devastated. Windows and doors were broken, walls torn into and the stench of rotting flesh drifted through the air.

 

There was no mistake, a shadow mob had been through there recently, perhaps even last night.

 

“Granny is very kind, you’ll see. I bet she’ll know of a way to make Kageyama better.” Hinata said through a strained smile.

 

“Hinata…” Chikara began with a warning tone. He knew Hinata had noticed their surroundings too. And that he realized how improbable was that they were going to find the old woman. Alive, at least.

 

“My mom took me there since I was a kid.” The orange haired teen explained as he picked up the pace.

 

“Hinata, wait.” Chikara called, but something had changed in Hinata. His voice, seemed a tone higher and his shoulders were tense. He was nervous.

 

“Her house smells funny… But the good kind of funny!” Hinata’s voice was now quivering and his smile was fading quickly.

 

“Hinata! You have to slow down-!”

 

But Hinata broke out into a run, dashing through the street, and apparently he had lost none of his athleticism.

 

“No!” Chikara yelled as he ripped the heavy cloak off and dashed behind him. The worse thing you could do was go off on your own. It was their rule, always stay together. Besides, they were crows, both of them, and Chikara wouldn’t abandon his junior especially when he was panicking. His wings made him clumsier and slower, but he could just about keep Hinata in his sight.

 

“Hinata! Stop!”

 

“My runs weren’t that far from here! I should’ve-!”

 

Finally, Hinata stopped in front of an old wooden and traditional looking home. Chikara didn’t even need to try to find the smell of death coming from the house and he dashed to stop the younger teen, but it was too late.

 

“Granny!” and with those words, Hinata opened the door with a slam.

 

Chikara stood behind Hinata, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve. The orange haired teen seemed to hesitated for a moment.

 

“I-”

 

“Hinata, stop this.” Chikara pleaded as he grabbed Hinata by the arm. They could both see it from where they stood. The remains were covered in a torn and bloodied flower dress. White hair caked with blood clung to what remained of the head and the shape of a body could just barely be recognized.

 

He actually felt how Hinata deflated, his shoulders dropped and his unruly orange haired head slumped forward.

 

“She… she probably didn’t even make the first night…” he sobbed his hands slowly rising to cover his face.

 

“Come on… Let’s get out of here for a moment.” Chikara suggested as he dragged his unresponsive junior outside.  

 

It was heart wrenching to see Hinata this way. Chikara could do nothing but sit besides him on the floor, rub his back and try to comfort him. Maybe it had been too much to expect Hinata by himself to lift Karasuno’s spirit by himself.

 

“In volleyball, we’re never alone right?” he found himself saying.

 

Hinata stopped his sobs for a moment and looked up. The second year felt a little bit embarrassed, but he went on.

 

“We’ve become more than a team. We’re _crows_. We’re a family, a flock. We’ve never stood by ourselves in the court… And that goes for of the court as well. You never have to suffer alone from now on, all right?”

 

Hinata blinked a few times, processing what he’d just heard. After a few seconds in silence and Chikara growing more and more embarrassed and mumbling something along the lines of “That’s the sort of things captain would say, but…” Hinata finally smiled.

 

The orange haired boy’s smile was small and teary, but true. “ _To the top of the world_ , right?” he muttered.

 

Confused, Chikara tilted his head and Hinata quickly shook his head. “It’s um… Yeah. I mean… Thank you, senpai.”

 

Chikara was not as excitable as Noya or Tanaka and he had never asked anyone to call him senpai, but… He felt as if he understood them a little bit. It meant that Hinata trusted him. That he knew, respected and trusted his experience and it made him feel oddly protective. And he realized perhaps that was also what the third years felt. Responsible, trusted and protective.

 

With a small smile of his own, Chikara patted Hinata’s head. “You’re welcome.” he said and then stood up, dragging Hinata along with him. “Now, we have to find medicines, I bet we can find some other place or-”

 

“No, it’s okay. We should look in Granny’s house. I bet she would rather have someone use her medicines than have them locked away.” Hinata said with a sad look in his eyes.

 

“Alright, just wait here, then.”

 

Chikara found a long mantle that he used to cover the remains before he allowed Hinata to walk into the house again.

 

As they poked around shelves and cupboards (finding many useful things) Chikara found something that made him smile. “Hey, Hinata?”

 

The orange haired boy looked up to look at his senior.

 

“How about we take this photo and make an altar for her back home?” Chikara asked as he raised a small picture frame that showed an old woman with a kind smile standing in front of the old house.

 

Hinata’s eyes shone with tears and he nodded quickly. “I would really like that!”

 

Before they left, Hinata dashed out into the garden to take some flowers and placed them carefully over the mantle that covered her. He then bowed respectfully, mumbled a “Thank you for everything!” and ran out of the house, trying to hide the new wave of tears.

 

With a sad smile Chikara bowed as well in front of her. “Thank you for the medicines and for taking care of Hinata all this time. We’ll take it from here.” he muttered with a sad smile and walked out to join his junior.

 

They walked in silence, but the air between them was definitely different. They were both relieved and satisfied with the weight of their backpacks, they’d had a good run and they would make it back home by lunch.

 

Chikara was aware that in all that haste, his cloak had been lost and his wings were now exposed. His senses were in high alert, but they were unlikely to run into anything more than a runner.

 

Of course, that was when a shrilling alarm filled the air.

 

“Ahhoww!” Chikara whined as he covered his sensitive ears.

 

“That’s an angel alarm! Maybe they spotted us! Ennoshita, we have to go!” Hinata yelled over the sound as he took his senior’s arm and pulled on him.

 

Nodding, the older teen tried ignoring the alarm as best as he could and ran.

 

They could hear guns and screams in the distance, making it very clear for both of them that they had not been the ones that had sprung the alarm.

 

“If it wasn’t us…” Hinata murmured as both of them hid in an abandoned house.

 

“Well… Let’s hope we don’t meet who did.” Chikara hissed, slightly out of breath. He just wanted to pick Hinata up, fly them back to the nest and close the doors, but the alarm was still ringing and he just didn’t want to get them caught in the crossfire.

 

“Should we wait?” Hinata asked, somewhat nervous.

 

Chikara considered their options for a moment. “No… Let’s just keep running, once we’re over the next hill I think we’ll be safe.”

 

Now, Chikara was dragging Hinata along, ducking and glancing up at the sky, still slightly annoyed by the alarm, but the further they ran the less he heard it. It was probably the leftover buzzing in his ears what kept him from hearing them, but by the time he did, they were already too close to not notice them.

 

He halted to a stop just as six angels landed in front of them.

 

He heard Hinata ghasp and Chikara wasted no time pulling the boy behind him and against a wall, widening his stance and opening his wings, ready to protect him for the flock that had just landed in front of them.

 

“Well, well, what do we- Oh!”

 

Chikara knew he was staring but he couldn’t help himself. Oikawa Tooru was standing in front of the other flock, a smug smile in his lips and a surprised look in his eyes.

 

“You! I know you!” Perfectly white wings folded behind his back and his hands on his hips, his smile widened. “So, someone from Karasuno actually made it! And here I thought you were all dead… I wonder where I got that idea from.”

 

A flash of something angry, something dangerous, flashed across Oikawa’s brown eyes and Chikara immediately knew he shouldn’t trust him, even if they had played volleyball together before. He stood a bit straighter, but he kept his wings open, covering Hinata from view.

 

“Yes, I am still alive, nice to see you, Oikawa. But I don’t mean to interrupt your escape, so…”

 

A dark, cynical laughter erupted from Oikawa’s chest. “Oh, no, no. You’ve got it all wrong, I don’t fear these stupid _humans_.”

 

There was an edge to his voice, something that made it very clear to the elder crow that this boy had lost his stability, if not his sanity.

 

“Besides, you seem to be hiding something interesting behind you. I can clearly see the bag of supplies by your side, so it must be something even _more_ important than supplies, hm?” Oikawa almost purred, a predatory smile in his lips. “So? Mind sharing with the rest of the class?”

 

“I… I don’t see how it’s any of your business.” Chikara said, trying to sound intimidating, but failing even to his own ears.

 

“Now, now, don’t get too ahead of yourself…” Oikawa replied coolly with a soft laughter. “That’s no way to treat the leader of the flock that’s surrounding you when you’re by yourself.”

 

“He’s not by himself! Leave him alone!” Hinata yelled behind him.

 

Chikara felt the blood drain from his face. “Shush!” he said over his shoulder, but it was too late.

 

“Oh! And it get’s even better! Could that be the little Karasuno Shrimp? Then my Tobio-chan must be nearby!”

 

How giddy Oikawa got made Chikara’s skin crawl. He remembered the Aobajosai captain being sarcastic and a intimidating, but this angel in front of him was nothing like that. He was downright _scary_.

 

“He’s safe and far away. Leave us alone.” Chikara demanded, the need to protect his flock overcoming his fears.

 

“Aw… that’s no fun.” Oikawa pouted as he crossed his arms. “I want to see my Tobio-chan. He’s on your nest, right? Where is it?”

 

“That is definitely none of your business.”

 

It was in a blink that Oikawa had Chikara by the neck, easily lifting him from the ground. Desperately, Chikara tried to struggle free, each breath short and painful. “Do not test me, _crow_. You-”

 

But something else caught Oikawa’s attention and he easily threw Chikara over his shoulder. Dizzy, confused and in pain, Chikara tried to get up, but failed. He heard Hinata’s voice, so he slowly turned around. And his heart dropped. Oikawa was now leaning over Hinata, a dark, murderous look in his face.

 

“You’re not an angel…” Oikawa hissed between his teeth as he raised his hand towards the shaking crow. “You’re just a _human_.”

 

“That would be enough.” a voice boomed and it made all of them look up as a black blur appeared before Hinata and Oikawa was sent flying back with one powerful punch.

 

“Don’t you **dare** place a finger over him.”

 

Chikara almost cried with relief as he saw Tanaka stand in front of Hinata, cracking his knuckles. “This kid here is part of our flock. You mess with him and you mess with all of us.”

 

He then felt a pair of gentle hand placed on his shoulders and he looked up to see Sugawara looking at him worriedly. “Are you okay, Ennoshita? Does anything hurt?”

 

With teary eyes, Chikara shook his head and accepted his vice captain’s help standing up.

 

“Oikawa, what the hell is wrong with you?” Sawamura asked with suspicion as he stood in front of his flock.

 

“I should ask you the same! It really hurt!” Oikawa whined as he rubbed his cheek that was now red and inflamed. Of course, if anyone were to receive a direct hit from Tanaka’s super strength, Chikara wouldn’t expect any less. The flock behind Oikawa seemed ready to fight, but their captain calmed them with a gesture.

 

“You looked as if you were about to eat one of ours.” Tanaka replied, furious.

 

Sugawara left Chikara besides Tanaka and Hinata and walked up to stand besides their captain.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I wasn’t going to _eat_ him. That would be disgusting. No, I was just going to kill him.” Oikawa replied with a pout as if he had just said the most normal thing in the world.

 

“Which returns me to my original question. The fucking hell is wrong with you? You know Hinata, you’ve played against us many times.” Sawamura hissed, clenching his jaw.

 

“He’s just a human.” Oikawa said offhandedly.

 

“So are you. So are we.” Sugawara said.

 

Oikawa laughed as if Sugawara had just said the single most hilarious and absurd thing he had ever heard.  “We are not _humans_ , silly!” he said with a warm smile as he wiped away a tear. “Oh no, we’re something _better_. We are _more_. All of those who can’t be like us should just cease to exist. That little shrimp is just a waste of your resources, I was just making you guys a favor.”

 

“A **favor**?!” Sugawara repeated and it was easy for Chikara to see how truly furious his senior was.

 

Sawamura turned to his right for a moment, reacting to a sound they all could hear: boots against pavement, guns clanking against belts… the shelter’s guards had finally caught up with them.

 

“Karasuno, we’re leaving.” Sawamura ordered as he opened his wings to fly.

 

“Aw, don’t tell me you’re scared of the big bad humans.” Oikawa laughed, his hands on his hips and a smirk on his lips.

 

“We don’t want any trouble.” Sawamura said dryly as he led his flock into the air.

  
Even with the wind rushing through his ears, Chikara could hear the screams and guns being fired, but above all that, he could hear Oikawa’s bone chilling laughter. He pulled Hinata closer, making sure to cover his ears as he could and fly a bit faster.


	4. Dark Clouds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before a storm, before the pain, before the loss, dark clouds will cover the horizon.

"You should just leave me-"  

 

"Like hell I am."

 

The house around them was crunching and creaking as the shadows threw themselves at it to get to the two angels hidden inside one of the rooms.

 

Black feathers were covered in dark, dry blood and the air stank of alcohol and medicine.

 

"It's not too long before sunrise, we're fine."

 

A window broke somewhere in the upper levels and both of them flinched.

 

"The door is well barricaded, they won't get in."

 

"No-"

 

* * *

 

Shuffling was what dragged Koushi out of his sleep. He was well accustomed to sleeping with his flock surrounding him by now and his sensitive ears were well tuned to how Tanaka sounded when he rolled around in his sleep, but it didn’t sound like that. The movements were not sluggish, they were quick and abrupt. Someone was panicking.

Kageyama was probably having another nightmare, and Hinata’s voice, a mere whisper in the dark gym, further proved his theory.

 

With a soundless sigh, Koushi pressed himself closer to Daichi’s side and tried to fall asleep again. His left wing was a little bit numb, but he was too comfortable and warm to care.

 

However, his comfort was soon striped away by Hinata’s alarmed voice. “C-Captain! Sugawara! Anyone! Kageyama! Kageyama is-!”

 

It took seconds for Koushi to throw his covers off and reach for the emergency lamp. In its warm glow, he could see Hinata kneeled over Kageyama, tears falling from his scared brown eyes. “He-!”

 

“It’s okay, Hina. It’s his wings.” he explained as he walked towards the orange haired teen and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hold the lamp for me.” he added, as he kneeled and handed the other boy the lamp. Kageyama was breathing heavily, a pained expression on his face. With a worried frown, Koushi realized that the dark haired teen was burning up and that the bleeding had definitely not just started. The pain probably had Kageyama in a haze and if it hadn’t been for Hinata, they wouldn’t have realized it until the next morning. And that would’ve been very dangerous.

  


He didn’t even need to turn around to know that Daichi and Ennoshita were right behind him.

 

“Ennoshita, come around, help me get him on his back and take his shirt off.”

 

The dark haired second year quickly took his position and nodded at his silver haired senior.

 

“Daichi…” Koushi murmured as he met his captain’s eyes and then looked at Hinata, wordlessly telling him to look after the youngest member of their flock.

 

Daichi nodded and sat next to Hinata, placing an arm around the boy’s shaking shoulders. “It’s okay, Hinata. He’ll be fine.”

 

With a small smile and a satisfied nod, Koushi turned to the matter at hand. He had helped most of the flock, including Daichi, during their own transformations and had learned a trick or two to prevent them from being too uncomfortable. The pain was inevitable, though. With a grimace, both he and Ennoshita turned Kageyama face down, so that they could see his back.

 

Yamaguchi, who had probably been awake by Hinata’s cry for help, placed their makeshift first aid kit besides him.

 

“Thank you.” Koushi said with a small smile. The freckled boy could act uncharacteristically cold and snarky towards everyone, but he was still kind hearted and cared for them. And honestly, Koushi couldn’t judge him for acting that way. If he didn’t have Daichi by his side he probably would too…

 

“I’ll get some water…” Yamaguchi said as he walked towards the stairs.

 

Ennoshita nodded at the first year with a small, tired smile. “Please bring up some pain medicine too.”

 

Koushi took some scissors from the kit and very carefully cut the shirt open by the back.

 

“Remember that feathers might already be coming out.” he reminded Ennoshita when they started peeling off the shirt that was by now soaked in blood.

 

A blood chilling shriek echoed in the night and Hinata, who was already slightly pale from watching his best friend in such a state, flinched visibly and curled further into his captain’s embrace. “W-W-Wha…”

“An elite, probably.” Daichi replied with a tense expression. Elite shadows were uncommon, but not unheard of. They were bigger, smarter and stronger than regular shadows and whenever one was spotted it was most often in front of a hoard of shadows.

 

“We’re safe here.” Tanaka said as he sat on Hinata’s other side. He had probably been awake all this time, too. “Elite or not, Suga’s magic is too strong for them.”

 

“We should just throw him out there. They’re just attracted to his blood, I bet they smell him all the way out there, magic or no magic.” Yamaguchi said as he dropped a pack of pills on Ennoshita’s feet and placed a container of water next to Koushi.

 

Tanaka growled and Hinata looked like he was about to start crying.

 

“We’re not throwing anyone out.” Daichi said dryly as he looked up at Yamaguchi from his sitting place.

 

“Go back to bed, Yamaguchi. Thank you for helping, but there’s not much you can do any more.” Koushi said quickly, smiling up at the first year, who clicked his tongue annoyed.

 

“His and his stupid royal blood’s fault if we all end up dead by sunrise.” the freckled boy added bitterly before retreating back to his futon.

 

“One of these days…” Tanaka muttered venomously as he clenched his fists.

 

“Nothing. Leave him alone, Tanaka.” Daichi said with a tone that he used when an argument was over.

 

Koushi focused his attention on cleaning Kageyama’s back, instead. Black feathers had effectively already started sprouting out of the bloody mess that it now was. “Hold him down, Ennoshita, I’m going to disinfect it. Tanaka, could you sit on his legs? I don’t want to risk him being a kicker too.”

 

With a sheepish half smile, Tanaka did as asked and Ennoshita pressed Kageyama’s shoulders into the floor.

 

“...That’s going to hurt, right?” Hinata asked with a trembling voice as he saw Koushi drench some cotton in one of the medicines.

 

“...Yeah.”

 

“I’ll hold his hands.”

 

Koushi had thought of asking Hinata to hold his arms instead, but just holding his hands should do the trick, since Kageyama was probably very weak by then. Besides, Hinata looked a bit more focused and calmer.

 

“Well, here it goes…”

 

Kageyama’s agonizing scream as the medicine touched his raw back made Koushi fight back tears. Of course, that happened every time he had to hurt one of his flockmates.

 

“It’s okay! It’s okay… Kageyama I’m here, it’s okay.” Hinata said over and over as he leaned down and pressed his forehead against his friend’s black hair.

 

Working as quickly and as gently as he could, Koushi dabbed the cotton along the gaps and tears in the skin of Kageyama’s back.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, Koushi deemed his work finished. He washed the rest of the blood off with Ennoshita’s help and some of the water that Yamaguchi had brought and dried it carefully. Tanaka and Ennoshita cleaned up most of the blood that had dripped into the floor and changed the futon while Hinata and Daichi made sure Kageyama drank some pain meds and something to bring his fever down.

 

By the time it was all done, the sky had starting turning gray and the shadows’ howls had become lower and further away.

 

“I think we all earned a few more hours of sleep.” Koushi said gently as he closed the makeshift curtains over the windows that lined the higher level they called their sleeping quarters.

 

“Yes, please and thank you!” Tanaka groaned as he let himself fall into his futon.

 

“But we have to plan today’s run and-” Diachi tried arguing but Koushi just smiled and pulled him away from the ladder.

 

“We don’t need a run today, Daichi.” he said calmly as he dragged their already half-asleep captain to their futons. “We need to sleep, to rest. Planning can come later.”

 

Ennoshita didn’t need to be told twice, he was already curled up in his futon, next to Yamaguchi’s, and snoring very lightly.

 

“Hinata, that goes for you too.” Koushi said gently as he looked at the orange haired teen, who was leaning against the wall looking over Kageyama.

 

“I just…”

 

“He won’t wake up in a while. Go to sleep.”

 

Hinata seemed reluctant to do as he was told, but he looked tired too. With a sigh, he slid down and laid next to Kageyama.

 

“Come on, momma crow, everyone is tucked in.” Daichi muttered half asleep as he dragged Koushi down to his side.

 

“I have half a mind to kill you for that.” Koushi muttered embarrassed as he took his place by his captian’s side.

 

Daichi yawned before smiling, “Right. I’ll make a mental note of that.”

 

Nobody questioned the fact that Daichi and Koushi always slept side by side. Nor why most of the time, Daichi covered them both with one of his huge wings or how Koushi always woke curled up against him.

 

He still had nightmares most of the nights but he rather keep quiet about it. The less he remembered that morning, the blood staining his home, what was left of his mother in a corner and his brother's room filled with the stench of death, the better.

 

The first week after that night he had almost been catatonic, however. He didn't really remember much and it didn't help that he had been one of the first to fall to the angel disease in their shelter. Daichi and his family had been by his side but when Daichi fell ill too... Nobody said anything, but the guilt still weighed heavy in his heart.

 

"Kou..." Daichi whispered so that only he could hear him and used the nickname that they only used when they were alone.

 

"Hm?"

 

"You're thinking of unnecessary things." The dark haired teen sai.

 

"Huh?"

 

"Your shoulders are tense and you're biting your lips..." Daichi pointed out as he leaned closer and pecked his lips.

 

Koushi felt the heat rise up to his face. They'd had this strange but wonderful relationship for a while now, even before the shadows. Neither of them had said anything out loud, but Koushi felt they really didn't have to. They both knew what they meant for each other.

 

"I'm just a little bit worried." Koushi confessed as he buried his face on Daichi's chest.

 

"We aren't going to lose anyone else. I promise."

 

Koushi unintentionally synchronised his breathing to Daichi's and he relished the warmth that his partner provided. It was hard to feel content or safe with so many lost or missing... but he believed in Daichi. Slowly and almost not wanting to, Koushi fell asleep, lulled by Daichi's steady breathing and warmth.

 

* * *

 

There was blood everywhere, but they were alive.

 

“You’re such an idiot…” he whispered, tears breaking his voice.

 

“I wasn’t going to leave you.”

 

“But now you’re flightless too.”

 

“We’ll manage.” They probably were going to die the very next night.

 

“We need help.”

 

At least both of them agreed in that.

 

* * *

 

Shouyo woke up as an annoyingly persistent ray of sun hit his face again. He had tried pulling the covers over his face but it was useless. He grunted and stretched, feeling several of his joints pop.

 

"Well, good morning! You're finally up!"

 

The orange headed boy almost jumped back after hearing that morning greeting. He looked up to, effectively, find Kageyama looking down at him.

 

"W-what... what are you doing up?" Shouyo asked surprised as he sat up too.

 

"It's almost noon, and I've been up for a while. Did you really expect me to just lay down for a whole week while this thing ends?" Kageyama demanded pointing at his back which looked to have been cleaned and freshly bandaged.

 

"Honestly I did!" He replied as he scratched his neck. "In my shelter, angels normally slept through the whole process... How are you feeling though?"

 

Kageyama sighed as he shifted slightly, and it was until then that Shouyo realized that the setter was not using a shirt. "I feel like bait that has been chewed up and spit out..."

  


Shouyo leaned around to inspect Kageyama's back and winced. There were some bandaged areas, but there were mostly huge tears of skin that seemed bulged up and had feathers coming out of them. "Oh, yeah, you totally look like that."

 

Kageyama tched as he turned to most probably hit Shouyo, but he still didn't know his limitations, so he ended up curled up in himself, hissing in pain.

 

"Kageyama! Don't move like that, nitwit! You'll just pull at the skin and hurt yourself even more!" Hinata demanded, slightly panicked.

 

"I've decided..." Kageyama suddenly said, a serious expression in his face.

 

"Decided what?"

 

"I'm going to start counting the times I had to hit you but couldn't and extract my revenge once I feel better.” he said, a smirk in his face. “And you already have two.”

 

Shouyo rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t keep a fond smile from his face. “Right, right. So, where is everyone?”

 

Kageyama sighed and leaned on the wall with his shoulder. “You met Oikawa yesterday?” he asked instead.

 

Shouyo hunched his shoulders. By the time they had returned from their encounter with Oikawa, Kageyama had been slightly feverish, so they had decided not to tell him for the moment, but he had felt guilty about it.

 

“Yeah…”

 

“And was he… was he really…” Kageyama couldn’t seem to find the courage to say the words, but Shouyo understood.

 

“He wasn’t himself at all…”

 

“...Did he really threaten to kill you?”

 

Shouyo swallowed, feeling a knot in his stomach. He perfectly remembered Oikawa’s eyes. They were cold and unsettling. It had been almost as if Oikawa saw in him nothing waste of space and he would be more than happy to get rid of him… But he wasn’t sure he could tell Kageyama that the senior he so admired when he was younger had done something like that.

 

“I… Well…”

 

“He did.” it wasn’t a question. “He scares you, doesn’t he?”

 

Shouyo looked away from Kageyama but he ever so slightly nodded.

 

Kageyama let out a long sigh. “Captain is worried for those of us without wings.  He said neither of you can leave this area… Obviously, neither can I. Everyone else left on a run. Yamaguchi is somewhere on the school building, I think.”

“So, we’re just supposed to stay here and do nothing?” Shouyo asked exasperated. He hated staying in a place not doing anything, and he knew Kageyama felt the same.

 

“It’s not like I have a choice. You can go explore the school with Yamguchi if you want.” Kageyama said looking down at the volleyball magazine in his hands. And it was completely obvious for the orange haired teen how much his friend hated his situation.

 

After a few seconds of thinking silently, Shouyo jumped up with a wide smile. “I know!”

 

“Know what?” Kageyama asked, looking up.

 

Shouyo grinned at him, “You’ll see!” he said as he walked to the ladder and practically jumped down, not touching a single step.

 

“Hinata! Where are you going?!”

 

“To the school to look for something, I’ll be right back!”

 

* * *

 

“Crows! I love crows!”

 

He felt his heart clench in fear. He remembered this guy’s services, and those were scary on their own, but they were on a whole different scenario.

 

“O-Oikawa, it’s good to see you're alive and well.”

 

They thought they’d found help, safety, but… The small feathers on the base of his wings stood as a chill ran through his body.

 

“You two aren’t looking so well though…” Oikawa observed, a small smirk on his face. “I know where the others are… I could take you to safety.”

 

It was too late. They'd fallen right into the wolf’s mouth.

 

* * *

 

Koushi was tired. They had flown around most of the city and over the train track to see the damage it had suffered for themselves. It had been a hard day and he was not expecting to hear laughter coming from the gym as they arrived.

 

He shared a confused look with Daichi, because he couldn’t just hear Hinata laughing. Yamaguchi was too.

 

“There is no fucking way!”

 

“Are you calling bullshit then?!”

 

“You bet your ass I am!”

 

The seniors walked into their home to find the three first years gathered around a table full of cards.

 

“What are  you guys doing?” Tanaka asked with a wide grin as he looked over Hinata’s shoulder.

 

“This cheating idiot remembered he had some cards on his locker.” Kageyama replied, glaring at Hinata who was doubled over from laughter.

 

“We’ve found that Kageyama is terrible/ at card games.” Yamaguchi quickly added, slightly out of breath from laughing.

 

“Ha! I need to see this for myself. I’m in!” Tanaka dragged a chair to the table and Ennoshita quickly joined him, curious.

 

The game was started over and laughter erupted once again in the gym.

 

Koushi wanted to smile and join with the rest of the flock, but he had something else in his mind and it took one look from his captain to know that he realized it too.

 

“Is it shadows?” Daichi asked in a soft voice as he leaned on the wall besides his second in command. Most of the windows in the first floor had been boarded up but the one right besides the door, which was the one that Koushi was looking out through. He shook his head slowly, his brown eyes not leaving the part of the gate they could see from there. Something was pushing against his barrier, but it was nothing like he’d felt before.

 

The barrier was strong, it held perfectly well against shadows, and even elites, but whatever was now trying to enter Karasuno was neither of those.

 

“It’s another angel.” he finally muttered, eyes widening in realization.

 

“An angel?...” Daichi echoed looking worried.

 

One of Hinata’s loud laughs made them both remember the fact that their juniors were still focused in their card game.

 

“They're being too noisy…” Daichi muttered.

 

“Can’t you…” Koushi started, holding Daichi by the arm. He looked at the table with the  younger members of the flock. Kageyama was fluidly insulting everyone and everything while Hinata looked smugly at him. Yamaguchi was leaning back on his chair, a wide smile in his face. Tanaka looked confused at his cards and Ennoshita was softly laughing. They looked happy, relaxed, like the weight of carrying on after so much didn't weigh on their shoulders, and Koushi wished he could keep them like that.

 

With a sad smile Daichi leaned over and kissed his forehead. “We can't afford that luxury…” he muttered and walked over to the younger boys, making them quiet down and telling them that something or someone was trying to break in and that everyone should be on their guard.

 

“Ennoshita, take Kageyama, Yamaguchi and Hinata into the sleeping area, stay hidden until we come back.” Daichi ordered as a dreadful silence fell into the gym.

 

“Come on guys, you heard the captain…” the dark haired second year said as he stood up, leaving his cards on the table, a defeated smile on his lips.

 

The sun was quickly setting and shadows would rise in a matter of minutes.

 

“Daichi, are you-” Koushi started, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

 

“We have no choice. Tanaka, come on.” he called back at the second year who had helped Ennoshita fly Kageyama into the top floor.

 

* * *

 

The evening air was crisp and cold and Koushi wished he could be back in the gym. He silently walked behind Daichi, all of his senses reaching out into the night, trying to pinpoint whoever or whatever had been trying to breach his barrier… and it wasn't hard.

 

Oikawa wasn't even trying to hide himself, standing right in the front of the closed gates.

 

“Oh! I thought you weren't going to hear me knocking… Impressive barrier you have set up here, Sawamura.” Aobajosai’s ex-captain greeted them with the fake smile he used when he found something annoying.

 

“What are you doing here, Oikawa? We haven't set foot on your territory, we would like to have the same courtesy returned.” Sawamura replied drily with squared shoulders.

 

“I believe some of your have…” Oikawa replied with a predatory smile as he signaled at his flock. One of the white winged angels stepped aside to reveal a broken looking angel. His dark feathered wings were twisted in unnatural angles and were obviously broken. His hair was stiff with dried blood and his arms had been pulled back and tied. He was limp and looked dead but Koushi could hear soft, uneven breaths.

 

“T-That…”

 

“What have you done to him?” Tanaka asked between teeth, accentuating every word with hate and the promise of pain, and it was only Sawamura's hand gripping his shoulder what kept him from throwing himself out to save his best friend.

 

“We just found him like that. Shame the other one didn't make it.” Oikawa replied innocently, shrugging.

  
Koushi felt sick. Sick to his very soul. He wouldn't lose anyone else. He wouldn't lose Nishinoya.


	5. Broken Appart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flock will always look after it's own.

 

Yuu felt as if he had been ran over, crushed and tossed aside. Every single part of his body ached and a part of him was convinced that he was dead. And if he wasn’t, he should be.

 

He could hear a conversation, people talking, but he was just too exhausted, too much in pain, to register anything that might’ve been said.

 

_Asahi._

 

The thought ran like an electric shock through his body. He started struggling. He had to move, get out of that place, find Asahi’s sorry ass, and escape.

 

He felt hands pushing him down and he could see silhouettes through his clouded vision, but he would not back down. They would have to kill him if they wanted to keep him down.

 

Then he felt a prick in his left arm as a needle pierced his skin.

 

‘Oh,’ he though, a bit sheepishly. ‘They can do that too.’

 

He quickly felt the drugs in his system starting to affect him, and even though he fought to remain conscious, he was out cold in a matter of seconds.

 

* * *

 

“You are _not_ going by yourself.”

 

This time, it was with these words ringing in his ears that Nishinoya Yuu woke up. He still definitely felt like death, but he was a bit more lucid this time. He could feel the soft fabric beneath him and the warm covers over him. He wasn’t in that cellar anymore and he was curious about what had made his captor so drastically change his prison… but he was more anxious about finding Asahi and escaping.

 

He tried to very slowly move his wings. He could still clearly remember how they’d broken them for him, one after each escape attempt. They felt unnaturally heavy but still definitely broken.

 

Yuu relaxed a little, feeling every inch of his body, trying to asses how broken and injured he was. His wings were definitely beyond use, but his legs seemed just fine. His wrist were sore, probably from being tied up, but movable. He probably had a couple of broken ribs, judging by the pain, but it would do. He would free them.

 

He had to.

 

Just as his muscles were tensing, ready to bolt up, he felt someone place a damp and deliciously cool cloth on his forehead. Which meant two things. One, he had a fever, which was bad, and two, that something had changed. Drastically.

 

Last thing he remembered, because who knows how long he had spent unconscious, he had been tied up in a cellar and barely fed. He had his wings broken and had been kicked into unconsciousness by their captors without hesitation. Yet, there he was then, in a warm bed and being looked after.

 

So, either he was dead or some kind of a miracle had occurred.

 

And that’s when his brain decided it was probably a good idea to start hearing the voices that surrounded him.

 

“-couldn’t come. They need you here, Kou.”

 

Yuu caught his breath. There must still be drugs in his system or his fever was worse than he expected.

 

“We need you, Daichi. What if-”

 

He knew those voices. Yuu knew those voices and he tried opening his mouth to call for them, because it had to be dream, but the knot in his throat kept him from making any sound. He tried opening his eyes, but the light was painful, and he had to close them again with a grunt.

 

“Noya?” he heard a gentle voice calling for him.

 

“He’s having a nightmare. Let him sleep.”

 

And he couldn’t fight back the sob that made his whole body shake.

 

“No, he’s trying to wake up! Noya, it’s okay, you’re safe.”

 

Yuu stretched out his hand and smiled as he felt someone else take it in their own hand. With an almost painful effort, he opened his eyes again, this time fighting to keep them so.

 

“Tanaka, you are the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in a long time…” he managed to croak through his dried up throat and in a small broken voice as he looked up at his friend, who managed to chuckle even if his eyes were teary too.

 

“Guys, Yuu’s up!” Enoshita, who was the one holding his hand, called out with a warm smile.

 

* * *

The water running down his throat almost made him groan with how good it felt. He didn’t remember when was the last time he had taken a drink of good, clean, water, but it had definitely been too long.

 

“Don’t drink too quickly, pace yourself, Noya.” Sugawara tried warning his teammate, but the libero was already putting down the empty bottle.

 

“Oh, I know what heaven is now.” Yuu said with a satisfied smile as he slumped back into the bunch of pillows Hinata and Enoshita had helped him lean against without hurting his wings, but his broken ribs still made him wince.

 

“How are you feeling, Noya?” Sawamura asked with a slight grin as he sat in front of him.

 

With a deep sigh, Yuu nodded. “I’m… better. How’s Asahi?”

 

The air around him tensed up and everyone looked at him as if he had just grown a second head. “What?” he asked worried.

 

Sugawara hesitated and looked away when he tried looking at him for answers and Tanaka just seemed depressed, which didn’t help at all. “What?!”

 

“Oikawa… he said something.. but we are not sure what he meant by it…” Ennoshita replied finally, just when Yuu was ready to pounce on any of his teammates to get an answer.

 

“Noya, were you captured with Asahi?” Sawamura asked looking seriously at him.

 

“Yeah.” Yuu replied, clenching the covers that now felt like a bag of bricks over him. “...Didn’t that bastard release him too?”

 

And that damned silence fell over the room again, and it made Yuu want to punch someone. “Come on guys, you’re killing me! Someone say something!”

 

“You weren’t released, Noya.” Tanaka said, and his expression made Yuu feel sick.

 

“Wha-”

 

“They wanted Kageyama in exchange.” Sawamura explained.

 

Yuu felt his world fall around him. He wanted to talk, to ask, but the words seemed to die in his lips. And a quick look around confirmed his suspicions.

 

“Where is Tobio?” he finally asked, dreading the answer.

 

“Oh, don’t worry about him.” Hinata said with a soft voice, shrugging his shoulders. “He’s sleeping over there, he’s almost done with his wings.”

 

Well at least that was good.

 

“But then, how…” he tried asking but he felt Tanaka flinch next to him and his words died out. Something bad had happened. Something terribly bad. “Guys?”

 

“You should rest, Noya. You were pretty messed up, and don’t worry. We’ll get Asahi back soon, too.” Sawamura said finally as he stood up and walked away, Sugawara hot on his heels, wearing a worried expression. Tanaka just wouldn’t meet his eyes and Hinata had returned to Kageyama’s side as soon as the captain had dismissed them.

 

“Don’t…” Yuu asked with an uncharacteristically soft voice as he grabbed Chikara’s shirt, stopping him from leaving him too.

 

“Yuu…”

 

“I have to know what happened.” he pleaded once again. “Where’s Asahi?”

 

Yuu could easily see his friend struggling. Chikara knew and he had been told to hide it. “You should rest, your wings are pretty messed up and-”

 

And that was the last straw.

 

“Do you think I don’t know?!” he hissed, straightening up and pushing his golden bang away from his eyes. “They _broke_ them for me. The first time for trying to get water for Asahi, because he was running a fever. The second one when we tried to escape. I was beaten, starved, kept in a cell and basically forgotten for a week! And Asahi is still there! Do you actually expect me to just sit in my ass while he still needs me?! And how can I rest when Daichi is being all cryptic and shit and Suga has that worried face and Tanaka won’t even look at me in the eye?! Yes, I am throwing a _fucking tantrum_ until someone explains what the hell happened here!!”

 

His voice echoed in the gym as every other hushed conversation had been interrupted by the libero’s outburst.

 

Hinata, who was the only one left in the sleeping area along with Yuu, Chikara and an unconscious Kageyama, looked up hesitating between the two second years.

 

“The fucking apocalypse happened, Nishinoya!”

 

Yuu was actually taken back by Chikara’s expression. He wasn’t a stranger to the other second year’s rage, since he was often the one who tutored him during exams, but this was different. It was a tired rage, a nearly broken rage, one that spoke of loss and helplessness.

 

“I… W-We thought you were dead! We thought Asahi was dead! But that bastard had you locked up like rats! You were barely alive when he dragged you here, offering you as a bargaining chip!”

 

Angry tears were running down Chikara’s face and Yuu could do nothing but listen.

 

“Tanaka had to kill someone to get you back and it’s been eating him alive ever since! And we don’t even know if Asahi is still dead and that bastard just ran away without telling us. So, to answer your question, yes. I’m sorry but I do expect you to stay on your ass and wait while we sort this out because we’re not losing anybody else if we can help it!”

 

Everybody seemed to had stopped to hear Ennoshita’s outburst and were now looking either depressed or determined.  

 

Yuu felt his chest tighten. He could feel Chikara’s hand shaking in his own, and the other boy’s dark hair hid his eyes, but not his tears. Slowly, he let go of Chikara’s hand and instead wrapped his arms around his friend’s trembling shoulders.

 

“ ‘m sorry…” Chikara whispered, leaning his forehead on Yuu’s shoulder.

* * *

Koushi sighed and sat crossed armed in front of his obstinate captain.

 

“Daichi-”

 

“It’ll be fine, Kou.” Daichi replied without even looking up from the map in front of him.

 

“That’s not-”

 

“We’ll be back by sunset tomorrow.”

 

“Would you please-”

 

“We’ll bring Azumane back for sure and-”

 

“Sawamura!”

 

Finally, Daichi looked up, surprised, to find Koushi standing up, looking at him upset.

 

“Will you listen to me?” Koushi asked, his voice softer. Daichi simply nodded.

 

“You want to go along with Tanaka, a two man job right?”

 

Daichi nodded.

 

“It’s not going to work. And I’ll show you why.” he said quickly before the captain could say anything else. He took the other’s face in his hand and forcefully turned him to look. Tanaka was sitting outside, in the sun. His shoulders were hunched over and he looked tired, pale.

 

“Tanaka is not in a good shape, Daichi. He can barely handle himself, let alone a two man mission right into enemy territory.” he explained, letting Daichi’s face go. “I’ll go with you, we’ll find Azumane and come back home safe.”

 

Daichi turned to look at him, frowning. “Kou-”

 

“No. I know you want to keep me safe, Daichi. I know.” Koushi interrupted him. He then placed his hands over his captain’s, “But I want to keep you safe too. It would drive me crazy knowing you’re out there and I’m not right besides you making sure you don’t do anything stupid.”

 

“We humiliated Oikawa, Kou. Right in front of his fock. He’ll want revenge, he’ll come back and we won’t be here to protect our flock.” Daichi replied, frowning worriedly as he looked up to the sleeping quarters.

 

Koushi sat besides him, a conspicuous smile in his lips. “I know, and that’s why…”

 

* * *

 

“Matsukawa…” Oikawa sounded tired, the smile on his face wasn’t enough to hide his annoyance.

 

“Yeah?” The other boy asked, looking up from his meal, that consisted of a small piece of bread and bottle of juice that had already lasted him three days. He rose one thick eyebrow as he saw his flock leader. “Well, I suppose negotiations with Karasuno didn’t go according to plan.”

 

With a groan, Oikawa took off his shirt, wincing at the feeling of broken ribs. “Stupid crows. I would’ve taken care of Tobio, who do they take me for?”

 

The other dark haired boy shrugged his shoulders. “Kageyama is a precious part of their flock. Would’ve you given up Iwai-” but before Matsuka could finish his sentence, Oikawa had already punched him right across the face.

 

The juice bottle fell to the ground, spilling its content on the floor.

 

“I have told you before, haven’t I?” Oikawa hissed between teeth as he loomed over his fallen companion. “Never even think about that name in front of me.”

 

“Oikawa.” Hanamiki, who had just walked into the room, called out just as their captain was about to strike Matsuka again. “We found him.”

 

Just as he had erupted, a cold smile on his lips, delighted. “Oh! Oh, I have a new pet! I saw growing tired of that old mister crow… Now that I think about it, is he still alive?”

 

“Barely. We can kill him if you want.” Hanamaki replied emotionless.

 

From the floor, Matsukawa winced. The pain in his face was nothing. He wouldn’t even be in that hell hole if it wasn’t for Hanamaki. He wanted to protect him, to shelter him from the memories of his family’s death… but it seemed like nothing was left from the brunette but his body, which served and was loyal to Oikawa to a fault.

 

“Not yet… We’re setting up a crow trap.” Oikawa replied with a giggle. “Sawamura knew I was lying, he’ll have to come eventually… We’ll get to the nest while mama and papa crows are goneee.” he sang as he left the room, completely ignoring Matsukawa and followed by Hanamaki.

  
“I've always wanted a kitty.”

* * *

 

Asahi was startled awake. Not even the cold or the hunger had been able to keep him awake. He didn’t remember what had happened. He looked around him for a smaller figure, and his stomach dropped as he realized he was alone.

 

“N-Noya?” he asked, his voice shaking, but silence met his voice.

 

Panic started to settle in his chest, his mind sluggishly fought to remember what had happened. He had mentioned that he was cold and… no.

 

Oh, no.

 

“Noya!” he called once again. “Noya, you idiot!”

 

The libero had probably tried to escape again. It worried him that he had been so tired that all of the ruckus hadn’t woken him up, and now, they would probably throw Noya back in with a broken leg… or an arm… or maybe not at all.

Asahi felt hot, furious tears falling from his eyes. His big, powerful wings were useless, unlike Noya, who had evolved inhuman reflexes, he had no special talent. He was no ace, no use. It was because of him that he and Nishinoya were stuck there, in a dungeon in Oikawa’s territory.

 

His ears immediately perked up as he heard steps down the hall. The sound was bitter sweet. It meant that Nishinoya was alive but still there.  

 

He tried standing up, but his leg was still broken. Under his breath, he cursed at the shadows, cursed his own clumsiness, cursed Oikawa’s insanity and everything he could possibly think of. He could do nothing but sit and wait for his friend’s broken body to be thrown back in.

 

However, when the door opened, letting light from the hallway outside come in, Asahi felt his heart drop to the ground. The light hurt his eyes, but he could easily see that it wasn’t Nishinoya who was being held by the two white winged angels. As soon as the new prisoner was shackled to the ground as he was and their wings were mercilessly tied up, the guards left.

 

And before Asahi could even open his mouth a pair of yellow eyes that glowed in the darkness glared at him.

 

“Karasuno’s ace…” a small voice muttered.

  
Asahi swallowed silently. “W-who…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just really want to thank you guys for supporting this fic! I promise it's not dead, I just have a ton on my plate right now... ; w ;  
> So, surely though slowly, I'll start updating more chapters!
> 
> And I just wanted to give a huge shout out to lalalasunleashed for making this fanart: ( http://felpa-orca.tumblr.com/post/101903940140/lalalasunleashed-pt-1-daichi-sawamura-tanaka ) it made my heart melt and it was awesome!! (I totally have it as my phone's bg)
> 
> So until next chapter, then!


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